Acadia Senior College
Brief: Acadia Senior College is an organization with one (See further Information) employee(s) that specializes in higher education and does not have a history of sponsorship. Acadia Senior
College is a non-profit organization that does not have workspace available for students. Acadia
Senior College has not made their interest in sponsorship evident.
History: Acadia Senior College was founded in the spring of 2000 under the sponsorship of the
University College at Ellsworth. The Acadia Senior College was created to enable older persons to attain further education, have social interaction, and open the community to fun. Since its founding, the college has seen an enrollment of over one thousand students, and continues to use a mostly volunteer based staff. Since the college operates via a volunteer based staff, the college only has one part time employee who works as an Office Administrator. Currently the Acadia
Senior College partners with the College of the Atlantic in Bar Harbor.
Potential Project Work: As an educational institution, the Acadia Senior College has a variety of opportunities for project work. Due to the volunteer based staff, and having only one employee on payroll, some of their necessary infrastructure work may lag behind competition. WPI students could work to improve the presence of the college in the community, both online and off, or work help establish a technology education program. The college is open to volunteers who staff the offices, perform guest lectures, and manage finances. While doing work for ASC, students would be thoroughly involved in the local community. If the Acadia Senior College does sponsor projects, the opportunity for ongoing projects exists, and these projects would allow WPI to quickly establish a positive image amongst the community.
Contact Information:
Phone: (207) 288-9500 Email: [email protected]
Physical Address: Gates 104 College of the Atlantic Bar Harbor, Maine 04609
Website: http://www.acadiaseniorcollege.org
Bar Harbor BioTechnology
Brief: Bar Harbor BioTechnology is an organization with fifty employee(s) that specializes in developing innovative molecular biology products and services that advance life science research and clinical medicine and does not have a history of sponsorship. Bar Harbor BioTechnology is a for-profit organization that does not have workspace available for students. Bar Harbor
BioTechnology has not made their interest in sponsorship evident.
History: Bar Harbor BioTechnology Inc. was founded in 2006 as a commercial spin-off of The
Jackson Laboratory. BHB researches life science and clinical medicine in an effort to improve the quality of life amongst humans. The company’s methods of pinpointing specific genes affected by a disease of interest allow scientists to develop a medicine specific to that gene. BHB is among the highest represented organizations specializing in quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and strive to make molecular profiling easier and more efficient. BHB’s development of real-time PCR will continue to serve as a gene researcher’s most useful tool in determining affected cells and in creating treatments for gene-specific diseases.
Potential Project Work: Bar Harbor Biotechnology Inc. specializes in the process of molecular profiling, meaning most possible projects associated with the company will specifically relate to some form of genetic research. Developing an IQP related to this subject may be difficult; however, forming an
MQP site for students majoring in a field involving genetic research is an excellent possibility.
BHB-sponsored projects would hold many similarities to past projects held at the University of
Massachusetts Medical School in Worcester. Students focusing on careers related to disease research could broaden their knowledge of the subject and refine their skills through an MQP project sponsored by BHB.
Contact Information: Phone: (207) 667-7900 Email: [email protected]
Physical Address: 18 River Field Road Trenton, ME 04605
Website: http://www.bhbio.com
College of the Atlantic
Brief: College of the Atlantic is an organization with forty four employees that specializes in higher education and has a history of sponsoring projects. College of the Atlantic is not a non- profit organization that has workspace available for students. College of the Atlantic has not made their interest in sponsorship evident.
History: Chartered in 1969, College of the Atlantic was the first United States college to focus on one encompassing major: human ecology. The first class admitted in 1972 based its research solely on the relationship between humans and the environment in order to emphasize active learning and the importance of understanding one’s surroundings. The university’s dynamic has remained the same over the years. Students continue to explore their minds and design their own challenging independent studies. The CoA’s close connection to Acadia National Park only compliments the students’ ability to interact with their surrounding environment. This emphasis on broadening one’s involvement with the community gives students the capability to truly make a difference in the world.
Potential Project Work: The College of the Atlantic mainly focuses on the importance between humans and the environment. Therefore, many potential projects will focus on environmental sustainability and community development. Much of the work students perform is directly related to typical IQP studies. Some of these studies many include research about specific aspects of Acadia National
Park, community issues, or general societal improvements. The CoA already sponsors summer projects for high school students and younger children who have an interest in their local environment. A potential WPI IQP project may involve assisting in these current projects or helping to create new projects for the community. WPI students could even suggest improvements to current projects or ways of improving sustainability. The CoA offers a broad range of potential projects and is a great resource for the future of the Bar Harbor IQP site.
Contact Information: Phone: (207) 288-5015
Email: [email protected]
Physical Address: 105 Eden Street Bar Harbor, ME 04609
Website: http://www.coa.edu/index.htm The Jackson Laboratory
Brief: The Jackson Laboratory is an organization with one thousand four hundred employee(s) that specializes in mammalian genetics research to advance human health and has a history of sponsoring projects. The Jackson Laboratory is a non-profit organization that has workspace available for students. The Jackson Laboratory has not made their interest in sponsorship evident.
History: After holding his first summer lab sessions with students in 1923, Clarence Cook Little, the former president of the University of Maine and University of Michigan, founded the Roscoe
B. Jackson Memorial Laboratory in Bar Harbor, Maine in 1929. Since the Jackson Laboratory’s founding, it has grown from a handful of employees hosting students in the summer to a massive organization dedicated to discovering the genetic basis for preventing, treating and curing human disease, and enabling research and education for the global biomedical community. The Jackson
Laboratory now consists of one thousand three hundred sixty eight employees, of which many have Ph.D’s, M.D.s, and D.V.M.s who research cancers, computational biology and bio informatics, developmental and reproductive biology, immunology, metabolic diseases, and neurobiology. Each summer the Jackson Laboratory hosts high school students to help them
“understand the nature of research science” and also offers college students internships for research.
Potential Project Work:
The Jackson Laboratory presents high opportunity for project sponsorship due to its immense history of sponsorship. The Projects that the Jackson Laboratory may sponsor range from all varieties of biology and medicine to environmental research. Despite high involvement in the sponsorship scene, the Jackson Laboratory’s material may be unsuitable to the project types sought after for IQP work, but rather MQP Work.
Contact Information:
Phone: (207) 288-6000
Email: [email protected]
Physical Address: 600 Main Street Bar Harbor, Maine 04609
Website: http://www.jax.org
Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory
Brief: Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory is an organization with 45 employees that specializes in marine and biomedical research and has a history of sponsoring projects. Mount
Desert Island Biological Laboratory is a non-profit organization that has workspace available for students. Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory has not made their interest in sponsorship evident.
History: Originally the Tufts Summer School of Biology at South Harpswell, the Mount Desert
Island Biological Laboratory was founded in 1898 by Professor J.S, Kingsley of Tufts College.
Early work at the labs consisted of anatomy and embryology of marine species and plants. Since its founding, MDIBL has continued research in many disciplines within biology, and anatomy including kidney research, developmental and cell biology, cellular and epithelial physiology, environmental pollution from fuels and toxins, cell metabolism, fluid and ion transport, and toxicology. Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory move from its original location in 1921 to its current location at Salisbury Cove on Frenchman Bay. The organization has, in the past decade, grown dramatically.
Potential Project Work: The Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory is an exciting prospect for potential projects. The Laboratory is a non-profit research institution, and would probably be very excited to have student help with research and data gathering. Students could assist the scientists in the creation of new regenerative medicines based off of marine life. Health studies and research involving marine life could also come to fruition. It is plausible that this institution would support both IQP and MQP type projects.
Contact Information:
Phone: (207) 288-3605
Email: [email protected]
Physical Address:
Old Bar Harbor Rd. Salisbury Cove, ME 04672
Website: http://www.mdibl.org
Schoodic Education and Research Center (SERC)
Brief: Schoodic Education and Research Center is an organization with 32 employees that specializes in research and education with Acadia National Park and has a history of sponsoring projects. Schoodic Education and Research Center is a non-profit organization that has workspace available for students. Schoodic Education and Research Center has not made their interest in sponsorship evident.
History: Established in 2004 as a nonprofit research organization of Acadia National Park, the
Schoodic Education and Research Center (SERC) aims to guide younger generations to a better understanding of their surrounding environment. The facility is located in Winter Harbor, ME, on a former Navy Base and encompasses over eighty acres of forest. The largest of about twenty research learning centers in the United States, SERC provides essential knowledge about the importance of the natural world. Acadia National Park greatly assists in creating numerous learning opportunities each year, and SERC’s impact on understanding the balance between nature and humans will continue to grow throughout the coming years.
Potential Projects: Similarly to the College of the Atlantic, SERC is a main proponent of conserving our nation’s wildlife. Much of the organization’s work involves research in or around Acadia
National Park. Projects generally focus on learning about the impact of certain actions on the wildlife of Acadia or physically improving the park and maintaining the forests and ecosystems.
Possible projects would include each of these topics. Students could research the well-being of certain areas of the park and possibly offer methods of improving the environment of those areas.
Students could also help restore many of the ecosystems of the area and help keep the wildlife secure through their research. SERC already sponsors countless projects maintaining Acadia
National Park, so finding a possible project would simply consist of contacting SERC and inquiring for a possible project.
Contact Information:
Phone: (207) 288-1310
Email: Online Form: http://www.sercinstitute.org/about/contact-us
Physical Address:
64 Acadia Dr. Winter Harbor, Maine 04693
Website: http://www.sercinstitute.org
MERI Center for Marine Study
Brief: MERI Center for Marine Studies is an organization with 18 employees that specializes in marine education and research to help protect marine life and does not have a history of sponsorship. MERI Center for Marine Studies is a non-profit organization that has workspace available for students. MERI Center for Marine Studies has not made their interest in sponsorship evident.
History: Founded in 1990 by Dr. Susan Shaw, the Marine Environmental Research Institute
(MERI) Center for Marine Study is a nonprofit organization aiming to provide understanding about and protection to the marine life of the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of North America.
Similarly to what SERC does for Acaida, MERI researches the effects of human pollution and interference on aquatic wildlife. MERI strives to provide worldwide awareness of marine mammals through research programs, education, and ecosystem monitoring. MERI’s work is indispensable when understanding the effects of pollution on maritime wildlife, especially when the younger generation is the main audience to educate. The new generation will be responsible for maintaining the natural ecosystems of the oceans, and MERI hopes to educate everyone on how to protect these fragile environments.
Potential Projects: MERI hosts research projects focusing on sustaining and improving aquatic life along the
Atlantic and Pacific Coasts of the United States. The organization monitors the coast for pollution and any effects that pollution may have on the encompassing marine wildlife. Possible projects may include assisting MERI in monitoring these ecosystems or researching ways in preventing pollution. Students could spread awareness on the issue to the general public in a more effective manner. Any project relating to marine wildlife protection and awareness will gain the attention of this dedicated organization, and each project will greatly help our aquatic wildlife.
Contact Information:
Phone: (207) 374-2135
Email: [email protected]
Physical Address:
55 Main Street, PO Box 1652 Blue Hill, ME 04614
Website: http://www.meriresearch.org
Bar Harbor Historical Society
Brief: Bar Harbor Historical Society is an organization with 14 employees that specializes in documentation of the history of Bar Harbor and does not have a history of sponsorship. Bar
Harbor Historical Society is a non-profit organization that has workspace available for students.
Bar Harbor Historical Society has not made their interest in sponsorship evident.
History: The idea to form the Bar Harbor Historical Society, a nonprofit and educational organization, began in 1945 in the Jesup library about a year after the passing of the father of
Acadia National Park George B. Dorr. The scheme continued successfully for one year until a room was set aside in the library in order to exhibit the town’s historic documents. The collections in the library continued to grow over the years, and in 1997 the society purchased their current residence on 33 Ledgelawn Avenue. Even today, the many displays pictures, documents, and antique clothing continue to expand. The Bar Harbor Historical Society also offers significant historical information of important events in the past in order to preserve the complex history and culture of the surrounding community.
Potential Projects: As an educational organization, the Bar Harbor Historical Society could offer many projects relating to preserving the history and culture of the town. Students could research and monitor any significant events in town and document them, or students could help the historical society develop its online presence. The organization already offers special events about the history of the area, so a project could involve offering improvements and more advertisements in order to gather a larger crowd. The culture in Bar Harbor is filled with rich history and incredible immersion opportunities for any student-oriented project. Contact Information:
Phone: (207) 288-3807
Email: [email protected]
Physical Address:
33 Ledgelawn Ave. Bar Harbor, Maine 04609
Website: http://www.barharborhistorical.org
Friends of Acadia
Brief: Friends of Acadia is an organization with 3000 employees that specializes in protection of
Acadia National Park and does not have a history of sponsorship. Friends of Acadia is a non- profit organization that does not have workspace available for students. Friends of Acadia has not made their interest in sponsorship evident.
History: Friends of Acadia was founded in 1968 as a 501(C)(3) non-profit, charitable organization.
Since its founding, Friends of Acadia has worked to fulfill its mission of protecting, preserving, and promoting the stewardship of the outstanding natural beauty, ecological vitality and distinctive cultural resources of Acadia National Park and its surrounding communities for the inspiration and enjoyment of current and future generations. Friends of Acadia raise private funds for the park and communities, such that the park can be well kept and defended from threats, and improve services in the park. With its funds, Friends of Acadia maintains the carriage roads, made new foot paths through the national park, co-developed fare free public transit, and has sponsored several programs over the years.
Potential Projects: Friends of Acadia is a prime organization to attain sponsorship from due to its direct involvement with the Acadia National Park. Sponsorship opportunities exist for projects already begun, including the trail team, and the sound design team, but the possibilities are not limited to this. Potential work could involve work side by side with the members of Friends of Acadia, and could address the problems with ongoing maintenance to carriage trails, terraforming, and soil condition in popular hiking areas. Students could work to collect data pertinent to the organization, and provide it to them in a way that makes their work easier. Contact Information: Phone: (207) 288-3340
Email: [email protected]
Physical Address: 43 Cottage St Bar Harbor, Maine 04609
Website: www.friendsofacadia.org
Abbe Museum
Brief: Abbe Museum is an organization with 20 employees that specializes in historical preservation and education and does not have a history of sponsorship. Abbe Museum is a non- profit organization that has workspace available for students. Abbe Museum has not made their interest in sponsorship evident.
History: Like other nonprofit, educational, and town centered organizations, the Abbe Museum offers many opportunities for its patrons. Each year, the museum sponsors a variety of volunteer internships for high school and college students. Most internships center around anthropology, archaeology, Native American Art, or some history subject, so students specializing in those majors are highly encouraged to apply for an internship. The museum also offers programs for younger children to educate them about the Wabanaki Indians of Maine. Aside from the public programs, the museum is open for regular visits for pure curiosity.
Potential Projects: The Abbe Museum already offers learning programs for younger children and internship opportunities for high school and college students. Students interested in Native American art, archaeology, or some other history subject, then the museum could offer some form of internship depending on their needs. The museum is an excellent tool for learning about Maine’s past, specifically the past of the Wabanaki Indians. Students could even help the museum run these programs or offer improvements to the quality of learning presented at them.
Contact Information: Phone: (207) 288-3519
Email: [email protected]
Physical Address: 26 Mount Desert Street Bar Harbor, ME 04609
Website: http://www.abbemuseum.org
Maine Island Trail Association
Brief: Maine Island Trail Association is an organization with 25 employees that specializes in water trail construction and coastline preservation and does not have a history of sponsorship.
Maine Island Trail Association is a non-profit organization that does not have workspace available for students. Maine Island Trail Association has not made their interest in sponsorship evident.
History: The idea for the Maine Island Trail Association began in the 1970s when the state realized there were over 1300 unclaimed islands, rocks, ledges, and low-land bars along the coast. The Maine Island Trail was founded in 1987 in an effort to display these land masses to the public, and in 1988 MITA began in an effort to protect these very islands and ledges. MITA’s mission directly states, “The Maine Island Trail Association’s goal is to establish a model of thoughtful use and volunteer stewardship for the Maine islands that will assure their conservation in a natural state while providing an exceptional recreational asset that is maintained and cared for by the people who use it.” Most of the islands are now privately owned, but many are still open to the public for exploration. Regardless, MITA does an incredible job protecting the wildlife of the islands and the structure of the islands themselves while allowing the public to enjoy the wonders these islands have to display.
Potential Projects: The Maine Island Trail Association has great potential to be an excellent project sponsor for environmental-based projects in Bar Harbor. The trail itself does not include Bar Harbor but does include many of the islands surrounding Bar Harbor. Students could potentially research these trails and map them interactively online. Students could also map the many important sites on specific islands along the trail. The trail offers a variety of outdoor experience, along with opportunity for the introduction of technology to these islands. People could use the students’ work to view the islands beforehand and choose which one or ones they want to visit. MITA is a great opportunity to research and visit the many islands of the coast of Maine.
Contact Information: Phone: (207) 761-8225
Email: [email protected]
Physical Address: 58 Fore Street Suite 30-3 Portland, Maine 04101
Website: http://www.mita.org
Jesup Memorial Library
Brief: Jesup Memorial Library is an organization with 6 employees that specializes in information preservation and does not have a history of sponsorship. Jesup Memorial Library is a non-profit organization that has workspace available for students. Jesup Memorial Library has not made their interest in sponsorship evident.
History: The Jesup Memorial Library is a nonprofit organization run solely by volunteer community members. Like any library, thousands of books, videos, and articles are available for rent for the community. The library also holds events for younger people in the community teaching them simple computer and reading skills. The library also helped found the Bar Harbor
Historical Society in the 1940s. Today, the community continues to utilize the library for literary resources and donate countless hours of service and money in order to sustain the organization.
Potential Projects: Being a nonprofit organization run by volunteers, the Jesup Memorial Library would most likely enjoy help whenever they can get it. Complimentary services for any nonprofit organization are extremely beneficial. Students could benefit the library by holding collection services or informational sessions. Students could also add to the interlibrary loan system the library offers. Each possible project would benefit the community, especially the youth participating in library-sponsored educational programs.
Contact Information: Phone: (207) 288-4245
Email: Not Available
Physical Address: 34 Mt. Desert Street Bar Harbor, Maine 04609
Website: http://www.jesup.lib.me.us